Sydney : In Sydney, an Australian parliamentarian has alleged sexual assault against herself within the parliament premises, highlighting the lack of a safe space for women in the parliament.
During Thursday’s parliamentary session, independent senator Lydia Thorp revealed that she had experienced ‘sexual remarks’ and a situation where she felt unable to leave the chamber due to the presence of a ‘powerful man’ who made inappropriate advances. Liberal Party member David Fawcett has accused Thorp, who claims to have been a victim of sexual misconduct, but she asserts that the allegations against her are baseless. Fawcett has been suspended by his party. Thorp also mentioned her own shock at the accusations made against her.
While such allegations were protected by Australia’s serious misconduct laws, Thorp stated that she had involved lawyers in this matter and intended to challenge parliamentary rules to address her case again.
Speaking out about her own sexual assault within the parliament, the victim emphasized the need for women to have secure entrances, separate bathrooms, and, most importantly, the absence of any male presence during private moments, to avoid situations where the victim is compelled to tolerate harassment.
Her statement of being unable to leave the parliament alone resonated with others. She highlighted that other female parliamentarians have also been victims of harassment but they downplay their incidents due to the importance they attach to their ‘careers’.
Since 2021, Australia’s politics and parliament have been affected by high-profile incidents of sexual assault and harassment. Former political ally Brittany Higgins accused a party staff member of raping her in a minister’s parliamentary office after consuming a large amount of alcohol.
Following a series of incidents of sexual harassment within Australia’s parliament, an investigation at the government level confirmed instances of sexual assault against parliamentarians and staff. According to the investigation, one in every three individuals experienced sexual misconduct, with a significant percentage of female parliamentarians being victims of sexual violence in some form.”